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CVE-2017-5638

Apache Struts Remote Code Execution Vulnerability

  • Critical 9.8
  • Exploited: added to CISA KEV 3 Nov 2021
  • Used in ransomware campaigns
  • A public exploit reference is listed

Description

The Jakarta Multipart parser in Apache Struts 2 2.3.x before 2.3.32 and 2.5.x before 2.5.10.1 has incorrect exception handling and error-message generation during file-upload attempts, which allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary commands via a crafted Content-Type, Content-Disposition, or Content-Length HTTP header, as exploited in the wild in March 2017 with a Content-Type header containing a #cmd= string.

Key facts

Published
11 Mar 2017
Last changed
21 Oct 2025
Assigned by
apache
KEV added
3 Nov 2021
KEV fix due
3 May 2022
Used in ransomware
Yes, according to CISA
EPSS
99.999% likely to be exploited in the next 30 days, higher than 99.995% of CVEs (scores for 15 Nov 2026)
SSVC (CISA)
Exploitation: active; Automatable: yes; Technical impact: total

Severity scores

Each score is shown as its source gave it. They are not averaged or merged.

  • 9.8CVSS 3.1, Criticalfrom CISA (ADP container)CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

What to do

  • Apply updates per vendor instructions.CISA KEV required action

Historical context and remediation

This reference retains the original CVE publication date. A recent record update does not mean a new attack occurred.

No separately sourced impact summary is available on this page yet. Consult the description, version data and dated exploitation evidence.

Version statuses below come from the CNA. An “unaffected” version is not necessarily a currently supported release or proof of a patch date. EPSS is a dated risk estimate, not a count of historical attacks.

Read the original CVE record.

Affected products

VendorProductVersions
Apache Software FoundationApache Struts
  • 2.3.x before 2.3.32 (affected)
  • 2.5.x before 2.5.10.1 (affected)

Timeline

  1. 11 Mar 2017 Published
  2. 3 Nov 2021 CVE-2017-5638 added to CISA KEV
  3. 3 Nov 2021 Added to the CISA KEV catalogue

Weakness

References